Boats with two or more hulls



Dec. 7, 1965 P. 1.. ALLE GRETTI BOATS WITH TWO OR MORE BULLS 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 1, 1965 INVENTOR. is 1 0/ 1 14 ZEGAETII BY jaw6 Dec. 7, 1965 P. L. ALLEGRETTI BOATS WITH TWO OR MORE HULLS I5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug.

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BOATS WITH TWO? OR MORE HULLS Filed Aug. 1, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 UnitedStates Patent 3,221,697 BOATS WITH TWO OR MORE HULLS Pier LuigiAllegretti, Piazza S. Quirico 3, RR, Lucca, Italy Filed Aug. 1, 1963,Ser. No. 299,356 Claims priority, application Italy, Aug. 4, 1962,Patent 678,553 3 Claims. (Cl. 114-665) There are known boats having twoor more hulls which are interconnected and are variably called:Catamaran, Trimaran, etc.

Such boats, whether provided or not with upholding fins, wave detectingskates and the like, offer obvious advantages but are subject tostresses which cannot be neglected and which are particularlysignificant in the zone of the longitudinal symmetry plane of saidboats.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a boat with two ormore hulls, of the type above mentioned, which is reinforced to make theboat particularly resistant to lengthwise stresses and above all tocrosswise stresses, that occur in the zone along the longitudinalsymmetry plane of the boat.

According to the preferred embodiment, said structure comprises at leasta vertical reinforcing partition or septum located in the symmetry planezone (general embodiment) According to another embodiment, the boat isprovided with an extensive framework in addition to the reinforcingstructures described above.

According to another form of embodiment, the boat has at least oneadditional reinforcing structure interconnecting two or more hulls, withreinforcing structures formed on two separate fins to strengthen thestructure of the boat and achieve the object mentioned above.

According to another form of embodiment, the boat has at least onereinforcing structure connecting each hull or all hulls to other partsof boat which permits the extension and the enlarging of the deckbetween hulls above that which is normally possible.

According to another form of embodiment, the boat has at least oneadditional reinforcing structure connecting parts of the boat dilferentfrom the hulls and also connecting separate fins located along thelength of the hulls.

According to another form of embodiment, the boat has at least oneadditional reinforcing structure connecting structures forming theframe, variously extending between adjacent hulls, to obtain the abovementioned object and to increase the rigidness together with theelasticity of the boat.

According to another form of embodiment, the boat has at least oneadditional reinforcing structure connecting variously heterogeneousstructures, including also the separate fins located along thelongitudinal portions of the hulls.

In all the above mentioned embodiments, vertical partitions (septums),additional reinforcing structures and frame structures can be includedin the same boat. To clarify the idea of the invention, the encloseddrawings show some non-limiting, preferred forms of embodiments of theboat.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a two-hull boat, having areinforcing partition (septum) located in the zone of the symmetry planeof the boat and a reinforcing to the lower portions of hulls.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 1 showing a differentembodiment wherein the boat is reinforced additionally with a structurewhich connects the hulls immediately below the body of the boat, andincludes separated fins, which in turn are connected to the cenlice tralbody with cross-reinforcing structures, the cross section being takenthrough the fins.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing another embodiment connectingthe two hulls.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 of still another embodiment whichshows a lower connection between fins.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2 of still another embodiment whichshows a structure where the connection between hulls is obtained bycurvilinear members which asure a lower structural weight.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 2 of still another embodiment whichshows a further change, in which the boat has a reinforcing structurefor the hulls located immediately under the body of the boat, the twohulls being provided with separated supporting fins.

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are respectively the lateral and the top plan views attwo different levels of a Catamaran with supporting fins of the type towhich the structures of the present invention are applied.

Referring to FIGURE 1: the boat, seen in cross section along a verticalplane, comprises the body 1 and the hulls 2 and 3. According to theinvention, the body 1 is reinforced along longitudinal axial plane bythe reinforcing partition or septum 4, more than one such partition canbe included back of the first in the longitudinal direction and all maybe connected by the tubular structure 7.

The two hulls 2 and 3 are reinforced in the lower parts at 5 and 6 bystandard reinforcing structures.

In FIG. 2 the body 1 is again provided with one or more reinforcingpartitions 4, etc, while the hulls 2 and 3' are provided with supportingfins 7 and 8 and are reinforced from within by ribbing members 9 and 10,11 and 12; said hulls are further interconnected by a reinforcingauxiliary connecting structure 13, located immediately under the body 1.All these reinforcements cooperate to better resist crosswise stressesto which the boat is subjected and which stresses are especially welldeveloped along the longitudinal plane of symmetry passing through A-B.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the two hulls 2 and 3, reinforced at 5 and6 are connected together by an auxiliary reinforcing structure 13, 14,15 located immediately below the body 1 and formed in several sections,all preferably above the water line of the boat.

In FIG. 4, the two hulls 2 and 3 are provided with supporting fins 7 and8, which are connected to the superstructure by the means 13 and arealso connected together by structure 16; the reinforcing support 13 islocated immediately under the hull and the reinforcing means 16 ispreferably submerged.

In FIG. 5 the connecting means between the two hulls 2 and 3, comprisestubular members including structure 16, which is preferably submergedand braces 17, 18, 19, 20 that jointly form a curvilinear assemblyassuring rigidity, elasticity and a lower structural weight. Immediatelybelow the body 1 is the emergent, connecting structure 13.

In the embodiment of FIG. 6, in addition to the connecting means 13there is provided the reinforcing structures 21 and 22 of the hulls 2and 3 respectively, terminating in the reinforcements 5', 6', theseparate supporting fins being shown at 7 and 8.

All above said structures can be applied to the Catamaran shown as anexample in FIGURES 7, 8, 9. Naturally the form of the boat can be of anykind. As for the connections and additional reinforcing structures, itis pointed out, by way of example only, that they can:

(a) be located at any height with respect to the upper, central or lowerparts of the hulls, or be completely or partially immersed or emergedwith respect to the Water line, or alternatively immersed or emergedwith respect to the water line;

(b) be of different type and number. If a plurality, they can beconnected at the same or at different heights;

(c) be bonded to the hulls and to other parts of the boat, to astructure or frame independently of the hulls, and can even be tubularto increase the rigidity thereof;

(d) be constructed in one or more sections;

(e) be constructed to form multiple transversal and longitudinalconnections extending at least partially and, preferably for thecomplete width, or length, or width and length of the boat;

(f) be constructed to perform the function of fins, even supportingfins;

(g) be constructed to form the supports for propelling members of anytype or characteristics, for rudders, etc., such as are required forstable and safe navigation.

What is claimed is:

1. A boat having at least two hulls and a superstructure connecting thehulls and adapted to ride above the water in which said hulls areimmersed, said superstructure comprising a hollow frame and reinforcingpartitions extending across said hollow frame symmetrical to thelongitudinal plane of symmetry of the boat,

similar supporting fins attached to each of said hulls,

a first additional reinforcing structure connecting adjacent edgeportions of the fins of the two hulls.

2. The boat as defined in claim 1 comprising a second reinforcingstructure extending from the fin structure on one of said hulls alongthe interior side of the corresponding hull, along the lower side of thesuperstructure, the interior side of the next hull and to the finstructure of said next hull.

3. The boat as defined in claim 2 wherein said first additionalreinforcing means is convexly curved.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,853,125 4/1932Hitt 1l461 2,257,405 9/1941 Von Burtenbach 11466.5 3,066,753 12/1962Hurley et al 11522 3,077,850 2/1963 Beuby 1l466.5

FOREIGN PATENTS 318,858 5/1930 Great Britain.

MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Examiner.

1. A BOAT HAVING AT LEAST TWO HULLS AND A SUPERSTRUCTURE CONNECTING THEHULLS AND ADAPTED TO RIDE ABOVE THE WATER IN WHICH SAID HULL AREIMMERSED, SAID SUPERSTRUCTURE COMPRISING A HOLLOW FRAME AND REINFORCINGPARTITIONS EXTENDING ACROSS SAID HOLLOW FRAME SYMMETRICAL TO THELONGITUDINAL PLANE OF SYMMETRY OF THE BOAT, SIMILAR SUPPORTING FINSATTACHED TO EACH OF SAID HULLS, A FIRST ADDITIONAL REINFORCING STRUCTURECONNECTING ADJACENT EDGE PORTIONS OF THE FINS OF THE TWO HULLS.